Holly is a researcher at the University of Valenciennes (France) who studies self-control in humans and dogs. As a graduate student at the University of Kentucky, Holly helped develop the Canine Cognition Lab and Science Dog Daycare at the University of Kentucky. There she conducted research demonstrating that an initial act of self-control by dogs can have a negative affect on subsequent cognitive behavior. Following a 10-min sit stay dogs remember less accurately on a search task, persist for a shorter duration on a puzzle task, and are more likely to approach a threatening, aggressive dog. Her research also found that glucose (but not a calorie-free placebo) eliminates deficits caused by initial self-control exertion. Holly has presented her research at national and international conferences and her work has been featured in The Scientific American Mind, Huffington Post, and the New York Times, among others. Holly hopes that her research will result in a greater understanding of canine self-control and impulsivity and lead to more effective training paradigms for impulsive, fearful, or aggressive dogs. In addition to her research, Holly is an experienced dog trainer and teacher. She owns a 7-year old Belgian Sheepdog named Edda and enjoys obedience, herding, and agility training.
Recorded OnDemand Lecture: Too Dog-Tired to Behave: Self-Control in Canines is Sensitive to Fatigue Speaker Holly Miller, Ph.D.